1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network communication. More specifically, the present invention relates to a notification system.
2. Description of the Related Art
With increasing popularity of using the Internet and the World Wide Web (“the Web”) as instant communication mediums, a fast and secure notification system, which is typically an integral part of the communication medium, has also been increasingly in demand. The notification system is used to inform a user that newly arrived information is currently waiting for the user to process. For example, the notification system notifies a user that an e-mail (“electronic mail”) is waiting for the user to read.
A typical notification system posts a notice on user's system account, such as, for example, an electronic mail box, so that the notice will be later displayed on the screen when the user logs onto a computer. One problem with this approach is that it requires the user to manually log on to a system, such as a computer, to check the notice. In other words, the user would not be notified if he or she does not log on to a system.
Another problem with a typical notification system is due to the voluminous number of e-mail notices where a user may find that it is difficult to determine which e-mail is more important. A user typically needs to read the notice before he or she can separate important e-mails from junk e-mails. Junk e-mails are typically e-mails for commercial purposes. In other words, the currently used notification system does not provide prioritized notification.